Were they merging?
A bizarre idea, but Doane’s viciousness seemed to be becoming greater with every passing hour.
Every hour the reconstruction progressed …
So now she was blaming herself? Ridiculous.
She closed her eyes. Ridiculous or not, she still felt a chill.
And dangerous or not, tomorrow she had to leave this place.
* * *
“WASN’T THAT EXCITING?” Doane whispered, his gaze on Kevin’s face. “Zander knows that time is running out for him now. It’s all coming together.”
Kevin stared blankly back at him from those empty cavities. Doane hated those hollow eyes. Eve had replaced the blackened bones with smooth clay, but he wanted to look into those eyes and pretend it was Kevin’s soul staring at him.
Who knows? Perhaps it would be.
“What do you think, Kevin? Time to start the list?” He took out his phone. “Oh, yes, I agree. We’ve waited long enough.” He dialed Blick. “We’re moving.”
“Jane MacGuire?”
“You seem to be obsessed by her. Start at the top of your list. Let me know.” He hung up. “It’s done, Kevin.”
He turned away from the skull and strode toward the couch. Staring at those empty eyes was causing him pain. He’d lie down and close his own eyes and remember Kevin the way he was before Zander had destroyed his bright, handsome beauty.
And perhaps those memories would make Kevin come alive again for him tonight.
* * *
“IT SEEMS DOANE IS GETTING eager. I was wondering when he’d raise his head.” Zander turned to Stang as he hung up the phone. “Well, he’s done it, and it’s a very ugly head. He has Eve Duncan just as Venable told me. He’s forcing her to do a reconstruction of his son’s skull.”
“Will he kill her?” Stang asked.
“Undoubtedly. The question is when it will happen. He wants her to finish the reconstruction, but she may annoy him and cause him to blow.” He smiled faintly. “She’s not afraid of him. Nor me. You should have heard her take on both of us. It was … interesting. But dangerous for her if she can’t handle him.”
“Of course, she can’t handle him,” Stang said. “She’s an innocent woman who’s caught in the middle. I read that dossier you have on her.” He was silent a moment. “She seems to be exceptional. I don’t like the idea of her being butchered.”
Zander gazed at him in surprise. “I can see that you don’t. You never speak up and offer an opinion. She must have impressed you.”
“More than she did you.”
“That’s not true. Courage always impresses me. But I admit to curiosity more than admiration. I’m sure that doesn’t astonish you.”
“No, curiosity is cold and intellectual. Is there anything else I can do for you tonight, or may I go to bed?”
“I think that was close to an insult,” Zander said softly. “Am I mistaken?”
Stang shook his head. “It wasn’t an insult. Not if you see nothing wrong with being either of those things. You are what you are.” He started to turn away, then stopped. “Could you stop him from killing her? You were planning on going after Doane before Venable asked you to delay.”
“But now Doane wants me to come after him.” He shrugged. “That was the reason for the call. He wanted to taunt me to make me angry enough to come and try to get him.”
“A trap.”
“One that he’s been planning for a number of years. He even dangled Eve Duncan as part of the bait. I actually think he believed I might be tempted to come and save her. He obviously doesn’t know me as well as you do.”
“Could you save her?”
“Possibly. But having him come after me is strategically more sound and less risk. Then I get to spring the trap.”
“And you said she may die after she finishes sculpting that skull if he’s angry enough at her.”
Zander merely gazed at him.
“I know.” Stang said as he went toward the door. “You don’t care. Stay out of your business. Well, you told me to read those dossiers. Why? Because it makes it my business. Maybe you knew I’d react like this and for some reason you wanted me to—” He broke off. “Why did Doane think that you might want to keep him from killing Eve Duncan?”
“He was never a good judge of character. Maybe he thought the years had softened me, and I’d be as sympathetic as you toward that poor, innocent woman.”
Stang frowned. “There’s something strange here. You were sure he’d go after Eve Duncan.”
“He rescued his son’s skull. She reconstructs skulls.”
“That’s logical, but I—”
“You just said I had cold intellect,” Zander said mockingly. “What better demonstration?”
“None. I suppose.” He paused. “But you’d never shared information with me before. Why Eve Duncan and her family? Why this time?”
Zander’s smile didn’t waver. “I’m tired of talking about this, Stang.”
“I can’t let it go. It doesn’t add up. I have to figure it out.” He grimaced. “Because I believe that’s what you want me to do. But I’ll shut up about it.” He strode toward the door. “Call me if you need me, Zander.”
Zander’s smile vanished as soon as the door closed behind him.
Was he right? Stang was very clever. What Zander had assumed as a random impulse on his own part might hide other motives.
Good God, he never questioned his own actions or the psychology that drove them, he thought impatiently. He had accepted his character, or lack of it, a long time ago. But on this occasion had he sought to put a barrier between his innate ruthlessness and the fate of Eve Duncan?
Nonsense.
He strolled over to the desk and opened the Duncan file.
Eve Duncan’s face stared up at him. Her expression was thoughtful, alert, intelligent, strong. A hint of sadness in the firmness of her lips. No wonder Stang had been defensive of her.
He suddenly smiled. But then Stang had not been in the firing line of that scorching tongue. Eve Duncan might be innocent, but she was not helpless, and she was not suffering her imprisonment meekly. He had felt an odd flash of emotion when he had been the target. He still could not determine the nature of that feeling. Surprise? Regret? No, it must have been curiosity, as he had told Stang. It was strange that Doane had believed he’d have a shot at making Zander want to interfere with his plans for Eve Duncan.
Still, it would do no harm to call Venable and tell him that Doane was definitely on the move. He dialed quickly, and when Venable answered, he said tersely, “Doane called me and identified himself and made threats. I think he wants to signal that the game’s afoot. You might warn General Tarther.”
“I’ve already done it. I went to see him in Virginia to tell him that Doane has become a loose cannon. I’ve assigned an agent to guard him.” He paused. “I’m surprised you went to the trouble of calling to tell me Tarther is in danger. Did Doane mention Eve Duncan?”
“I talked to her. I believe the fool thought he might be able to use her for bait.”
“I’m sure you made it clear that wasn’t an option. She seemed well?”
“Yes, though I didn’t pay much attention. I’m hanging up now.” He pressed the disconnect and looked back down at the photo of Eve Duncan.
Could you save her?
It would be an interesting challenge, but not in accordance with either his work ethic or philosophy.
Sorry, Eve Duncan. As you said, you’re on your own.
He flipped the file shut.
Lake Cottage
JOE AND MARGARET ARRIVED BACK at the cottage five minutes after Venable drove up to the front door.
“Talk,” Joe said grimly as he took the steps two at a time to where Venable stood on the porch. “No excuses. No stalling. I’m going to know everything you know, or, by God, I’ll make you pay.”
“If I hadn’t intended to talk to you, I would have disappeared and not come back. Stop threatening me.”
“I would have found you.”
“But maybe not in time.” Venable turned to Jane. “You look a little pale. Why don’t you sit down?”